How it All Started
by slytheringirl135
Summary: A one shot of two characters in my other story 'Different Choices'. Watch how Jason Rivers and Ella Lestrange met in the summer of 1978 at a boring pure-blood society ball. How life changed ofr Jason just after a half hour talk. Rated T to be safe.


_**Heya guys, this is just a quick one shot that was provoked by my other Story, Different Choices. It just occurred to me the other night and I'm interested on peoples take on it. You don't have to read Different Choices to understand it though it will make more sense. But like I said, it's just a one shot. I might take it further later; but that is a big MIGHT!**_

_**Anyway, enjoy.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

Jason Damian Rivers swept into the already full, glittering ballroom of the Avery mansion. Ice statues stood dotted around the room while cool icy wintry colours such as blues, purples and whites decorated the room, shouting out to everyone that it was, of course, Christmas.

His father drifted off to the left to speak to Mr Malfoy, Mr Black and Mr Lestrange; business associates as well as old 'school friends'.

"Jason, you no look happy; look happy for Av-ary," his mother hissed in her heavily accented voice, her English abysmal as always. It wasn't as if Jason wasn't happy, he was just bored.

Bored with all the young flirting pureblood girls who went to embarrassing extremes to get him, the heir to the most high and noble house of Rivers, to notice them. Bored with the envious glare he received from the lower 'new money' pureblood men; bored with the toadying, bored with the whole boring ball affair in general…

"Jason," Vega hissed, "Stop now! Come; meet friends and friends' daughters."

Grabbing her son's arm she dragged him mercilessly towards a group of old chattering ladies and their giggling girls, which made up Vega's social circle.

"Vega!" The ladies air kissed her cheeks; pleasantries were exchanged before Vega introduced her son,

"Ah Jason, it has been so long since I last saw you," one lady with a pale face, greying black hair and dark vindictive eyes spoke.

"Madam Black, what an honour it is to meet you again; May I offer my congratulations on the engagement of your niece, Bellatrix."

Walburga Black gave a thin smile bordering on sarcastic smile. She had no illusions that the boy in front of her knew the exact reasons why Bellatrix was marrying the Lestrange boy; seeing as how close the two boys were.

"Yes, I did hear that Rodolphus did ask you to be his best man at the wedding?"

"Yes, he did; naturally I accepted."

"It is an honour," Walburga ploughed on, "to be present at a Black's wedding."

Jason smiled to patronise the woman, though he couldn't let such a slight on his family go.

"Of course madam, however I'm sure that the Blacks will be honoured to have the Rivers there; I'm sure you are aware that the Lestrange's and the Rivers have been friends for quite a number of years…"

Walburga Black raised her eyebrow at the boy's impudent nature, however she should have realised that the boy wouldn't be as slow as his mother. Vega's failure to grasp the English language meant that slights could go un-noticed, but the boy was different.

In response Wulburga inclined her head in deference,

"Now ladies, if you would excuse me," Jason carried on, his voice back to charming mode, and with a courteous bow towards each of them he slipped away and headed towards the drinks table where he had seen Rodolphus standing only seconds before he was dragged away by his mother.

Finding said best friend he took a deep breath as he poured himself a drink of Butter Beer,

"I heard what you said to Mrs Black," Rodolphus chuckled,

"Your point?" Jason replied,

"My point being that very few would have the nerve, or the stupidity, to say such a thing to such a person."

Jason ignored Rodolphus's comment as he swept his eyes over the ballroom, taking in everyone there. As usual there was his fan club, young giggling schoolgirls standing in the corner, Jason flashed them a smile and a wink before moving on; his mother's social circle, his father's social circle, his father's business associates…then he stopped and stared as his eyes fell on the most gorgeous creature he had ever seen.

Looking at Rodolphus Jason was more than surprised to find that he wasn't drooling at the sight of such female perfection; putting it down to the fact that his best friends future in laws were in the room he turned his attention back to the vision in green.

Tall and willowy with a second skin dress of dark green lined decorated with silver, she had long chestnut brown ringlets and deep dark forest green eyes; she had an English Rose complexion with deep red ruby lips which just begged to be kissed. Around her neck she wore a simple silver chain with a small pendant dangling from it engraved with a coat of arms…from his distance Jason couldn't tell which one.

She couldn't be more than seventeen, eighteen at the most but she was by far the most dazzling girl he had ever seen.

Jason realised he was staring with his mouth open, a bit of drool slowly dripping from his open mouth and stopped, pulling himself together.

Clearing his throat he nudged his best friend who was concentrating on pouring a very suspicious red liquid into the non alcoholic punch.

"What?" Rodolphus hissed as he struggled to hide the fire whisky within his robes while at the same time pouring it into the foul orange punch.

"Who is that?" Jason nodded towards the woman who looked like Aphrodite in human form.

Rodolphus glanced over and gave his friend an odd look,

"It's Ella…"

"Ella who?"

"My sister Ella. She left Hogwarts two months ago and seems intent on having a good time before mother and father arrange a marriage for her; and, these are her words, having to act like a stuffy housewife, old beyond her years."

Jason cursed silently. The one girl that he was actually interested in was beyond his grasp. But Ella? That couldn't be Ella could it?

His memory of Rod's younger sister was one of a small freckled eleven year old who had trailed after him and Rod when he had stayed at their house when he stayed with the Lestrange's over the summer…a girl who blushed whenever he tried to speak to her.

She certainly had grown up, he reflected. Even his memory of her being a fourth year when he had been in his seventh year was vague as he never took an interest in the years below him, unless it was to get them to do something he wanted...how could he not have noticed? Unless she grew up after he had left…Merlin's sodding law, he thought.

"Is she asked for?" he asked, hoping to sound casual but somehow it sounded too forced.

Rod gave him a sly look as he finished spiking the punch and placing the empty bottle back within his robes.

"Not yet, though mother is hoping she will attract the attention of someone older, someone who will look after her properly…I believe Ella's termination was rather different; she seemed to view being married to an older man as suffocating."

Jason nodded and let the subject drop. No reason to let Rodolphus think he was interested in forbidden fruits. However his family, fully established and powerful in Romania, were not quite so over here. Insulting Mrs Black had been a slight mistake, one which he would rectify; but the Lestrange's held a lot of power and if he could marry into the family…it would set his family off for life.

But still he held his peace, watching as man after man danced with her; young men fresh out of Hogwarts, she was way to good for them, to much older men, widows with children of their own, old enough to be her father.

He noticed a few of the said older men place their hands slightly to low and Ella squirm though she didn't move as Mrs Lestrange was watching with a stony expression on her face, daring her daughter to insult any potential suitors.

Finally, by the time the last dance came around he could tell she was dead on her feet from dancing so much with such perverted older men…men who was powerful and held influence. The poorly hidden disgust as another man kissed her hand as the music ended made up his mind.

He hadn't danced all night, ignoring his parents pointed looks, and decided to placate them.

He could see old Crabbe, widowed with three big thuggish sons of his own, one Jason's age, one a two years younger and another still at Hogwarts, come ambling over to her for his tenth dance tonight.

"If I was the head of the family, I would make sure Ella was married to someone her own age and whom she was happy with…father's just being unnaturally cruel in this way…he already has contacts with the Crabbe's and the Blacks via me and Rabastan. I don't see why he should make Ella suffer," Rodolphus commented darkly from next to him, his voice slurred from the amount of alcohol he had consumed.

Jason saw her face fall as Crabbe neared her, and decided to intervene. Taking quick strides over the floor he reached her side and bowed in his most gentlemanly fashion,

"Miss Lestrange, it has been a long time. May I present myself; Jason Rivers…"

"I know who you are," she replied scathingly, "You've been watching me all night…"

Jason raised his eyebrow but smiled all the same. He would have fun with Ella…

"You look tired Miss Lestrange…indeed; I have observed you dancing all night without a break. Please, allow me to escort you to the refreshments table. I believe your brother placed some alcohol in the punch…I haven't sampled it yet but from the amount he has drunk, I can't believe it is all bad; though saying that Rod would drink anything if it got him drunk faster," he added as Ella gave a small unsure giggle and accepted his offered arm.

She was probably under strict instruction from her parents, Jason decided, as they made their way over to the refreshments table and the spiked the punch, where Rodolphus had tactfully dragged himself away to dance with his fiancée to placate his future in laws.

The slow music struck up and Jason poured two cup full of the punch and handed one to Ella who took a small sip as Jason downed it in one, ignoring his mother's death glare.

"I'm sorry about my earlier behaviour…I was just tired of dancing…" Ella started only to be silenced by Jason raising his hand.

"Believe me Miss Lestrange, if I had to dance with Mr Crabbe all night I too would be as ratty as you; completely understandable."

Ella gave him a grateful smile and flicked a stray strand of hair out from her eyes,

"I hear you have family coming over for Christmas?"

"Yes, in two weeks my whole family from Romania will burst upon the English society scene for three months; I can only imagine what will happen," Jason responded.

Ella gave him a confused look and Jason elaborated,

"My uncles and aunts, my father's sisters, only speak little broken English…like my mother and my cousins speak little to no English at all. I fear it will be three months of constant translations on my part…"

"You speak Romanian?" Ella asked in some surprise.

"When my father brought my mother over here and had me, she spoke no English at all…I learnt it off her as I grew up as well as English from my father."

"Isn't your father from Romania as well, though?" Ella asked.

"Yes but he, my aunts and uncles came over here for fifteen years…father fell in love with England which is why once he married my mother he came back."

"I see," Ella replied, generally interested.

Jason smiled. Ella certainly was interesting herself. Very few people took a deep interest in his background stories, only concerned about how far back his blood went; relaxing noticeably when they realised the Rivers were one of the purest around, going back to the twelfth century.

It both pleased and amused him that Ella took such an interest.

They chatted by the table for the next half hour about his history with Ella letting slip a few things about herself. By the time the music let up Jason was surprised that the last song had gone by so fast; especially when people started heading towards the grand fireplace to go home. Their families were walking towards them; Marcus Lestrange had a purpose in his step; probably to find out his intention towards his daughter. Well, Jason had no inclination to disappoint him

"Mrs Lestrange, Mr Lestrange, how very pleasant to meet you both again. I was just saying to father the other day that we really should have you over to diner sometime…"

"Very kind, I am sure…" Marcus Lestrange responded dryly,

"Maybe over the Christmas period?" Jason turned to his father, who was looking at his only son with a raised eyebrow,

"I don't see why not…" Lewis Rivers spoke slowly, trying to understand what his son was getting at.

"I mean after everything you and your family have done for us, it is only fitting that we repay you by asking you to share Christmas with the whole family…maybe father, going to Romania this year instead of the family coming here again? I know arrangements have been made but surly it would benefit Mr Lestrange to accompany us to Romania where he can further his contacts…"

Lewis began to understand his son's drift and, because he could never deny his son anything, nodded slowly,

"I will talk to your uncle Flynn and see if we can work something out. As you know, in my absence over there Flynn is in charge?"

"Yes sir…thank you sir," Jason responded respectfully.

Marcus shook his head at Lewis,

"The younger generation…have no concept of arrangements at all…"

"Indeed Marcus. Anyway, if you would like to come over to the Hall tomorrow I am sure we will be able to work something out?"

Marcus nodded and Jason took Ella's hand, giving it a brief kiss before asking,

"I hope you will not think me too bold Miss Lestrange, but would you allow me to call on you tomorrow around mid-day. We did not have much chance to talk this evening and I would very much like to get to know you?"

"Indeed I would Mr Rivers…" Ella responded, looking at her mother un-surly who after a glance at her husband gave a quick nod.

"Please, call me Jason."

"Then you must call me Ella," she responded.

"Ella, until we meet again."

He bowed over her hand and gave her hand another kiss before following his parents towards the fireplace, stopping only to give his thanks to the Avery's for a wonderful party. But despite his empty thanks for what he perceived as a completely boring party, Jason was pleased.

He had already made up his mind about who he would marry; Ella had all the qualities he looked for in a wife.

Looks, sophistication, good blood, money, manners, she would look brilliant on his arm and the marriage would further his career at the ministry, pushing him further towards his aims of being head of Magical Law Enforcement; over taking the idiot Crouch who had passed his sell by date a long time ago…it all counted in the long run.

He smiled as he took the floo and arrived back at the Hall; bowing to his father respectfully and kissing his mother goodnight he made his way to his room, knowing that without a shadow of a doubt Ella would be his in the long run.

He fell asleep with a big smile on his face as he contemplated his future which looked bright and successful for all concerned.

_**Thank guys, please review. I'll say now I don't mind flames but I want to know the reason why you don't like it. 360 degree critics allowed lol. Xx**_


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